Are you stressing about the cost of your next power bill?
Sydney Winters are fresh, bright and still sunny. But they certainly do get cold. Not necessarily cold in the temperature. But cold in our bones. Our houses aren’t insulated which means when the sun goes down, it can get pretty damn chilly. This also means that our electricity bills can skyrocket through the winter months. Here are some practical tips for warming up this winter, without burning through your cash:
Layer up
Not only does it have the benefit of keeping you warmer than one layer of thick clothes. It also helps to combat that tricky moment, around lunchtime, when the sun starts to remind us it’s here. It works by trapping air between each layer of clothing, creating a mini heater around your body.
Keep the important bits warm
According to health scientist, Dr Ollie Jay from the University of Sydney, feeling cold is all about perception. Especially when living in Sydney. It’s to do with the cold receptors found all over our body. If we keep the areas where we have the most cold thermos-receptors then we’ll feel warmer. “The back of the next and lower back have the most cold thermos-receptors”. Hands and ears often feel the coldest because they are the most exposed, so a warm scarf and pair of gloves should have you covered on a cold morning or night. For more information on this there’s an interesting article on the ABC.
Warm up from the inside
Now, in the above article, Dr Jay will argue that drinking something warm will only fix the problem for a short time. But, we say so what? There’s nothing more comforting than a warm cup of Hot Chocolate or a big hearty stew on a cold winter day.
Get cozy
Invest in some big, warm, soft blankets/throws. Drape them over your furniture in the day to create some beautiful layers/textures in your rooms. Then by night, snuggle into them and keep yourself warm. Especially since, due to the lack of insulation, our homes can sometimes feel colder than outside.
Batten down the hatches
Or at least close doors and curtains to keep the heat in. It’s important to keep the heat in so try to make whichever space you’re in as small as possible, by closing it off. Invest in some good ole fashioned door snakes to stop the drafts from coming through.